A press statement released by British based solar energy and manufacturing company, Electra Energy Holdings Ltd, confirms that the company is to petition the South African High Court for an interim interdict to halt construction of the proposed 82.5Mw solar plant at Paleisheuwel Western Cape. In its press statement, Electra alleges that there may have been fraudulent misrepresentation by persons at RE:RE capital (a company registered and doing business in South Africa).

Investigation has revealed that at this date references to RE:RE Capital that were readily accessible on the web, appear to have disappeared – including marketing information pertaining to the company and at least one of its directors. Coincidentally RE:RE Capital was investigated by Jonathan Deal in 2013 as part of a personal enquiry by Deal into the activities of Mr. Simon Lincoln Reader.

It can be confirmed that in the now defunct marketing spiel of RE:RE Capital, Simon Lincoln Reader was listed as CEO & Chief Investment Officer. The company was described as ‘a boutique private equity firm, founded in 2011, specialising in the financing, development and support of renewable energy. The marketing statement continued: ‘One of RE:RE Capital’s assets, the Paleisheuwel Solar Facility, located in the Cederberg Municipal Region… approximately 10km north of the agricultural support town of Paleisheuwel … The generation of renewable energy (solar photovoltaic) will subsequently provide the adjacent and neighbouring community with a source of clean, efficient and reliable energy.’ Marketing statement continued: ‘RE:RE Capital has sought to identify particular areas of additional assistance. One of the principle features of the development exists in the creation of local employment that will support and maintain the solar facility, yet another area has been identified – that of agricultural education, relevant to the development of communities with the intention of establishing an additional line of employment potential – a feature that will simultaneously serve to mitigate the minimal impacts upon agricultural potential the development makes.

‘Through its networks, RE:RE Capital … has … FAADA – The Forward Africa Agricultural Development Academy – that will partner locally with Rooibos … to educate schools, communities and leaders about the future of agriculture [what about the bright future of shale gas] … nurturing a new generation of new farmers who will understand the benefits of renewable energy within the cycle of sustainable food production and security.’

The corporate intro continues: … ‘The addition of new industries is therefore critical to the employment factor – particularly industries with minimal environmental impact and who are, by mere virtue of structure, entirely sustainable. There are two critical tiers of thought … firstly, to create employment and, secondly, to enable structures that contribute to the protection of the agricultural industry. Coupled to both is the developing relationship between agriculture and renewable energy.

Under ‘stage 2’ of ‘Conceptualisation’ RE:RE’ corporate pitch clarified: ‘This will be the process whereby RE:RE Capital selects / invites academics, farmers, food, soil and sustainability experts, water and irrigation specialists, fauna and flora specialists, renewable energy companies and any other relevant party to submit presentations for consideration. And inConceptualisation ‘2’ RE:RE Capital listed as ‘stage 5’ the goal ‘The completion of the FAADA farm, owned and managed by a community / communities, that utilises only renewable energies in its production and irrigation techniques.

The RE:RE Capital datawrapped up with emphasis that ‘The nature of RE:RE Capital’s business is partnerships: partnerships in the production of renewable energy, … RE:RE Capital understands the threats faced by agriculture … and, most importantly, cultivating the theme of sustainability … Throughout the process undertaken thus far to the development of Paleisheuwel, RE:RE Capital has sought to express its interest in local employment. RE:RE Capital hopes that this initiative is met with the participation and support of the Western Cape Government’s Agricultural Department … ‘